Syna LAM

Seymour College High School Bachelor of Veterinary Science

Hello. My name is Syna and I have always been very determined to become a vet. At the beginning, this goal seemed unrealistic and far-fetched to both me and to my parents. As there were no veterinary medicine programs in Hong Kong at the time, I was destined to study abroad. This idea frightened me for a few reasons. Firstly, this means that I would be away from family and friends for months at a time. Secondly, studying in a foreign country is very financially demanding. Thirdly, i dreaded how there will be limited chinese food available. (Shout out to any foodie out there struggling!) The scariest of them all is that i have no idea where to start and I felt really lost. That was until i met Joshua Tang, who has been an immensely helpful consultant. He formed plans and guided me to work toward my goal in the most stress free way possible. Without his support, i don’t think i would ever be able to take my first step outside of my comfort zone, which was to study in Australia.

After careful consideration, i have decided on studying at Seymour College in Adelaide, Australia. Life overseas was quite unsettling at first and many changes weren’t completely anticipated. If Hong Kong is the city that never sleeps, it’s safe to say that Adelaide sleeps at five. It is not uncommon to find empty streets and closed stores as the clock strike five. If you are like me, who have lived among the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong before, you would find living in Adelaide to be slow paced and relaxing. The city itself proves itself to be an optimal studying environment and it is even more so when my school is surrounded by nature. Sometimes a breath of fresh air can really help with stress and i love that it is very accessible not just in the school, but in the city as well.
Another thing that makes acclimating to life in Australia harder was definitely the language barrier. For instance, words such as “wollies”, “maccas” and “thongs” were all new vocabulary for me. After grasping the fact that Aussies like to shorten words, I then had to worry about the australian accent. Fortunately, Seymour college is a very welcoming community. The teachers and students there were all very understanding and are happy to help when you need it. In any subjects taught there, our learning mostly revolved around the “why?”, rather than just memorising facts and ideas. As an inquisitive person, i always like to ask for further explanation to new concepts and can always find the answer to my many “why?” at Seymour.

I would also like say that boarding is rewarding and fun. Sure, there were fights over who gets the air conditioner remote, mysterious thieves that steal people’s socks and the never ending queue to dinner. But at the same time, you learn to take care of yourself properly, even if it is just knowing to separate dark and light clothes when doing laundry. Trust me, I learned it the hard way. Most importantly, the friendship that formed between me and my fellow boarders is something that i will cherish forever.

Two years at the college passed in a blink of an eye and I am now heading to Brisbane for university. I am very glad that I have chosen to study in Australia because this decision bought me even closer to achieving my dream, in fact, it’s probably one of the best decisions i have ever made. I am very grateful for the support that were given to me by people like Joshua, my parents and my friends. Although I am sad to leave adelaide, I am also beyond excited for all the adventures that i will get to experience in Brisbane and can’t wait to begin my journey soon.